B2 for Girlfriend & her Parents to Visit Non-Resident USC Boyfriend in USA

[African Zealot 1,457]

On 1/27/2020 at 8:22 PM, Loren Y said:

My now wife is Thai, and has gotten visas for over 4 different countries( South Korea, Dubai, Russia, and somewhere in Europe, and she followed all the rules and left in time, no overstays) before she applied at the embassy in Thailand to come to the US on a visitors visa. It was the biggest waste of 160.00 ever. She walked in, didn't even get a chance to sit down in the chair in front of the IO, he just slipped the denial paper under the glass and said have a nice day. Now, her friend who is a complete waste, with no travel history, no stable residence, no job, no nothing goes for her interview the next week and gets the Visa with no problems. She flew to the US back in early 2018 and hasn't left ( Even I knew this would happen). it is the luck of the draw I honestly believe, I think the CO/IO whatever you want to call them just flip a coin to decide.

That’s what it is, a luck of the draw. Half the time there’s no rhyme or reason to it and one consular officer would approve and another would have denied the same applicant.

[SusieQQQ 11,590]

2 hours ago, coagulationfactor said:

 

 

How should she answer certain questions?

 

 

Truthfully.  But she only needs answer what is asked, not volunteer extra info. If the CO wants more info, he or she will ask a follow up question.

[coagulationfactor 2]

On 1/28/2020 at 2:45 PM, Ray.Bonaquist said:

That’s what it is, a luck of the draw. Half the time there’s no rhyme or reason to it and one consular officer would approve and another would have denied the same applicant.

That's probably the case for lots of people, unfortunately. Strange how strong ties are a must, but even with the strongest ties you can get denied. That's life I guess.  

 

On 1/28/2020 at 3:58 PM, SusieQQQ said:

Truthfully.  But she only needs answer what is asked, not volunteer extra info. If the CO wants more info, he or she will ask a follow up question.

She's definitely not going to lie about anything. The main worry is that they'll instantly deny her and her parents without asking any questions. 

 

On 1/28/2020 at 2:43 PM, Ray.Bonaquist said:

Consular officers typically have very little average time allotted to one applicant. They prefer answers short and sweet since they can ask follow up questions if necessary. Long rambling explanation type answers risks incurring their ire. I’m visiting my boyfriend and his grandparents for two weeks.

Is it normal for the (any) US embassy to deny some applicants and only grant one or a few a B2 if they're applying as a family?  Or is the intent to immigrate risk evaluated as a group?

 

On the DS 160 where it asks for the US contact's name, they put my grandmother instead of my name since the plan is that they'll stay in my grandparents home. My gf is ready to clearly explain the visit/plan in depth if the CO really needs it, but is there any reason that perhaps I am not seeing for her to have put my name on the US contact instead? .    

[Boiler 48,235]

You apply for a B as an individual, rare not be asked something, I have read a few cases where people have said they were not but it is usually over so fast they may be confused.

[SusieQQQ 11,590]

They do assess individually. We’ve seen cases reported here where a family applies together and some members are approved and some not. Depends on each person (for example the parents may have a home, jobs, ties etc and are approved but the 20-year old daughter has weak ties and is denied). 
Normally they will ask at least one or two questions, seeing as it is a private individual they are staying with I expect at least they will be asked how they know her. 

[African Zealot 1,457]

On 2/1/2020 at 6:34 PM, coagulationfactor said:

Is it normal for the (any) US embassy to deny some applicants and only grant one or a few a B2 if they're applying as a family?  Or is the intent to immigrate risk evaluated as a group?

In theory applicants are evaluated individually however it is reasonable to expect in some cases (e.g. minor traveling with parents, or housewife with financing spouse) a denial for a principal would affect the application of the other/others.

 

Personally my philosophy has been to ask individual family members to as much as possible apply separately to eliminate any negative associations. This is just my opinion and experience based on being a student of human behavior, it is nothing I read from any consular or authoritative source.

[coagulationfactor 2]

Well, I got an update...

 

My girlfriend was refused the B2 visa. However, her parents were granted B2 visas with 1 year validity. I read that Thai people can receive up to 10 years but I'm not sure what determines this factor.  This was done at the embassy in Bangkok. The CO was polite, conducted the interview in English, barely even looked at her parents and didn't request to see any evidence / documents. He asked these 7 questions:

1. What is the purpose of travel to the USA

2. What do you do for work?

3. Where does your Boyfriend Come From?

4. So he is a US Citizen?

5. What does your Bf do there? 

6. Have you ever been to another Country?

7. What do your parents do? 

 

She did not lie or try to hide any information. Only the truth and only what was asked.  When we practiced interview questions, I suggested she refer to me initially as a Costa Rican boyfriend with US family (because that is true), but to clearly state I am a US citizen if they ask where I was born or my citizenship etc. On question 3 her answer was "He lives in Costa Rica but he was born in California". Obviously I didn't hear how she expressed it. I'm clearly biased by giving her the benefit of the doubt since I know her, but I wonder if the CO assumed she was lying or trying to trick him.  Either way, she had documentation to back it up.  

 

I'd like to think that if the CO bothered to ask questions 5 and 6 (after US citizen bf disclosure), then that might've been the opportunity to really "sell" how I have more ties to Costa Rica than to the US. If having a US citizen Boyfriend is an automatic no to a B2 applicant, then why would they care what I do? Then again, maybe it's just to establish some kind of record regarding a "US Cit Bf" so the CO on her future reapplication can clearly see dialogue involving a "bf".

 

 Also, question 6 was answered with only a "Never". A bit weak.

 

Anyway, there's not much else to do except reapply.  Bummed out, but sort of expected it. Didn't hurt to try. Next course of action would probably be for her to visit Costa Rica via Europe a couple of times.  Hopefully that'll lend truth to the information she revealed and show the CO she does return to her home country.    

 

    

[Just Paul 4,596]

11 minutes ago, coagulationfactor said:

Anyway, there's not much else to do except reapply.

There isn't much point to reapplying unless her circumstances change regarding ties to her home.   

 

12 minutes ago, coagulationfactor said:

her parents were granted B2 visas with 1 year validity. I read that Thai people can receive up to 10 years but I'm not sure what determines this factor.

A few things can enter the mix like they don't have travel history, the didn't express interest in a visiting more than once and what is the length of time visas are typically granted in the reciprocal direction.  I know thailand grants US VISAs 30 days

[Boiler 48,235]

On the plus side her Parents can visit.

[coagulationfactor 2]

2 minutes ago, Paul & Mary said:

There isn't much point to reapplying unless her circumstances change regarding ties to her home.   

Maybe it's hopeless...  You're either lucky or you're doomed.  

 

At the very least, would attempting to apply for a US transit visa be any easier? Airfare from SE Asia to Central America via Europe is more expensive and much more limited in terms of flights than going through the US.  

[Boiler 48,235]

Might as well apply for a B as a Transit Visa.

[coagulationfactor 2]

2 minutes ago, Boiler said:

On the plus side her Parents can visit.

I guess lol... at least there's that!

 

What's funny is that a year ago I consulted with a distant family friend who was an immigration lawyer. She made it seem that my girlfriend wasn't gonna have an issue getting a visa, but that it would be her parents most likely getting the denial. Would've preferred that scenario to be honest !    

[coagulationfactor 2]

6 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Might as well apply for a B as a Transit Visa.

 

I did suggest at one point for her to say that the B would be used as a transit visa to costa rica, which it would in some unplanned future visit, but then assumed they'd  just say "wrong visa, reapply for a transit ".  Now that she's marked with "US boyfriend" ... not sure it'll matter to them even with a ticket booked to CR.  

[Boiler 48,235]

Probably not, wonder if they checked to see if you had been mentioned on the application.

 

I am sure there are flights to elsewhere that would be more convenient, if not direct via Mexico.

Edited February 11, 2020 by Boiler

[geowrian 22,344]

5 hours ago, coagulationfactor said:

Well, I got an update...

 

My girlfriend was refused the B2 visa. However, her parents were granted B2 visas with 1 year validity.

Sorry to hear, but thank for the update.

 

5 hours ago, coagulationfactor said:

I'd like to think that if the CO bothered to ask questions 5 and 6 (after US citizen bf disclosure), then that might've been the opportunity to really "sell" how I have more ties to Costa Rica than to the US.

COs do not make good clients.

(translation: it's not the sales pitch that determines the result here)

 

5 hours ago, coagulationfactor said:

If having a US citizen Boyfriend is an automatic no to a B2 applicant, then why would they care what I do?

It's not.

They probably don't. They don't know if her response is true or not either. They generally just want to gauge the response.

 

4 hours ago, coagulationfactor said:

I did suggest at one point for her to say that the B would be used as a transit visa to costa rica, which it would in some unplanned future visit, but then assumed they'd  just say "wrong visa, reapply for a transit ".  Now that she's marked with "US boyfriend" ... not sure it'll matter to them even with a ticket booked to CR.  

It sounds like she was denied under 214(b). This provision applies to a transit visa as well, so it's unlikely to matter.

They don't care much about why she wants to come, but why she has a reason to leave.